Los Angeles-born architect Alexandria Hoevel from Corgan opens her heart to MHN’s Laura Calugar in a candid conversation about moving forward.
March is National Women’s History Month, a period reserved for the celebration of women’s achievements. And while it’s true that we at Multi-Housing News do that every month on the Mission Success: Women in Multifamily podcast, it still feels special to be able to share the voice of strong women who have left their mark in the multifamily industry.
My guest is an experienced architecture and urban design specialist and a life-long resident of Los Angeles, an area that was recently devastated by the most destructive wildfires in California’s history. Alexandria Hoevel is multifamily studio leader & vice president of Corgan’s Los Angeles office, and she agreed to share her thoughts about what her hometown has been through.
READ ALSO: Wildfires Sharpen Focus on LA Multifamily
“I think we’re all still in shock and maybe angry, piecing lives back together,” Hoevel said in the podcast. “There’s a lot of hurt and what we lost is unmeasurable.” Her family has lived in the Pasadena and Altadena areas for about four generations, so seeing those areas ravaged by fire was heartbreaking. “We’re really resilient people of big hearts and it’s been amazing to see the outpouring of support that has come from the community,” she said.
If you’re still looking for help or would like to get involved in supporting the areas impacted by the fires, there are several resources that you can access, including:
- NAIOP SoCal: LA Wildfire Resources
- AIA Los Angeles: Wildfire Recovery Resources, Disaster Response Toolkit
In the second half of our conversation, I asked Hoevel to share her thoughts on how the areas impacted by the disaster should be redeveloped in a way that limits future damage and addresses further challenges brought on by climate change. We also talked about a recent Corgan research report on renter expectations, as well as Hoevel’s involvement in design industry organizations that can help in the aftermath of the wildfires.
Here’s a snip of what we explored together:
- Hoevel’s professional journey (1:20)
- Working as a designer in LA (5:21)
- Her views on the massive destruction caused by wildfires (7:04)
- How the city could come back stronger (9:58)
- The role architecture and urban planning play in rebuilding (17:56)
- Hoevel’s approach to multifamily design (19:43)
- Projects she’s proud of (24:20)
- Lending a hand in the aftermath of the wildfires (27:32)
- What Women’s History Month means to her and why young women should choose architecture (29:17)
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